EASTER SPORTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 31 March 1938, Page 10

EASTER SPORTS

VISIT BY PROMINENT ATHLETES STRONG TEAM FROM WELLINGTON NELSON AND MOTUEKA MEETINGS

Ort# Of th# strongest teams of athletes ever to visit Nelson will travel from Wellington to take part in the local and Motueka meetings on Easter Saturday and Easter Monday respectively. Mr A. C. Kitto. who has been manager i, of the team for a number of years, will ! again fill that position this year. In the following letter to "The Mail” Mr Kitto j gives a short review of the Wellington j team:— I I have a really good team in hand—m fact it ii much superior to previous | ones, and Nelson can rely on some first- ; class athletic performances. I was rather fortunate in getting Ron Ulmer to make the trip. He is easily 1 our best cyclist in Wellington, and is ; also a New Zealand champion. Ulmer | represented New Zealand at the British j Empire Games, and rode with great credit to this Dominion. Tommy Rae is very little inferior to I Ulmer, and is also making the trip. The 1 other cycling representative is C. Me- j Gurk, of the Petone Club, and is a real good handicap rider Nelson has some good cyclists at the | present time, end so some great races can be looked forward to. Others making the trip are:— G. Hunter, present New Zealand title- j holder in the high jump. He won the event with a leap of sft 11 in. A. Welply needs no introduction over j your way. as he has been a regular j competitor for years. He is sprinting as well as ever and is on the improve. | Terry McCashin, Wanganui champion iialf-miler of two years ago, is now a | member of the Wellington Amateur i Athletic Club, and represented Welling- | ton at the New Zealand championships held earlier in March. It was mainly his effort in the half mile of the relay race that gave Wellington a clearcut victory. R. Kidd, though last seen in Nelson in sprint events, is now a first-class ( half-miler, and a very honest runner. A. Robinson, of the Kiwi Club, is one of our most promising runners, and runs a good quarter and half mile. He has a lovely style, and will prove a popular runner with the onlookers. Vic. Thompson who last year ran so well against Murakoso. the champion Japanese athlete, will be competing in the distance events, and is just showing his true form. Allan Brown, the heavy man of the party, has improved in his field event activities especially with the discus. He tells me that he is running a good quar- 1 ter mile. W. Evenson is one of our most promising junior runners and jumpers. His i father is an ex New Zealand 120 yards hurdles champion. Alex Hill, great all-rounder and champion in a sack, will give anyone in Nelson 10 yards and a beating. H. Hedge comes from the Lower Hutt Club, and though still a junior (under 19 years), he is a really promising sprinter and jumper D. Hewitt and H. Bryant are both out for experience, but will need liberal handicaps. I hope to have Frank Brady included in the team, as he is once again in tip top form. Frank is doing about 10ft 9in with the pole, and sft 6in in the high jump. He is an exNew Zealand champion in both these events. Miss Joyce Crompton. Wellington provincial 100 yards champion, repre- j 'exited her province at the New Zeaalnd | championships. . Miss Jean Sharp, local champion in I the high and broad jumps and 90 yards hurdles. Miss McGrath, just a shade inferior j to Miss Crompton, is the most improved I lady sprinter in our city Miss A. Walker, good handicap sprin-1 ter and a real smart hurdler. Miss Joyce Chase, good jumper and j fair sprinter. Miss Thelma Greenfield, of the Pet- ‘ one Club, sprinter of merit and a real stylish runner. Miss Olive Tasker has always been a popular sprinter m Nelson, and will be ! seen in action once again. I think you will admit that from the : above talent we should make a good j showing, and be worth the price of admission, without taking into consideration your local competitors. I hope to be renewing acquaintances with all my old friends, and will be bringing with me Mr O. Dunford, late treasurer and handicapper to the Nelson Club. The team is eagerly looking forward to the trip, and are training seriously, so I feel certain that our team will show you something really worth while, and warrant your good townspeople reserving Easter Saturday to attend the sports at Trafalgar Park.

I can promise them a real treat in the cycling contests between Ulmer. Roc and T Langley. The Wellington Centre has noted the good progress made by the Nelson Club under the guidance of President J. W. Russell, and his band of helpers, and hopes that the visit of outside competitors at Easter will help them still further.